Now, first a sort of disclaimer: I know this show is meant for young kids, and as a man in my thirties, I am not included in the intended target audience for this show. This comment is written as an adult and a father, and describes my feelings after watching this show on Disney channel for almost two days while staying home with my sick kid.
This show has taken away my good humor. I am now an official hater of Higglytown. The theme song invades your brain, the way the word "hero" is used waters out the very concept of a hero, the babushka-style figures leave a lot to be desired when it comes to exciting animation. But the worst thing is how perfect the world of Higglytown is. Even though I have to agree that it is educational about different types of work, friendship and problem-solving, I get a really sticky feeling in my throat and in my head. It is simply too nice and friendly, and alienates the real world where things are far from this world of perfection.
Now I am really happy that I got out of the house, I couldn't stand much more of the show. I was almost afraid of going postal or to be lulled into a candy-covered pastel world inside my own head. Watching this WITH my kid is out of the question, and that may very well be the worst bit. Because this is the kind of show that kids probably watch alone most of the time. It easily becomes a parent substitute. It gives the kids solutions to everything, and does little to stimulate curiosity and independent thinking. Little of what is learned is applicable to a kids world of problems, and applying the "solutions" to real world problems will probably leave the kids disillusioned and apathic with no thinking on their own.
I would rather watch old, not so politically correct, classic Disney animation movies with my kids, where there is real anger (Donald Duck), playful action and fun quarreling. This means I have to explain stuff to them, and I truly think good parent-kid interaction is much more valuable and educational for the kids than this utopian world of Higglytown.
In the future I will put on my DVDs with classic Disney cartoons instead of the Playhouse Disney channel. For both my sanity and for my kids.
This show has taken away my good humor. I am now an official hater of Higglytown. The theme song invades your brain, the way the word "hero" is used waters out the very concept of a hero, the babushka-style figures leave a lot to be desired when it comes to exciting animation. But the worst thing is how perfect the world of Higglytown is. Even though I have to agree that it is educational about different types of work, friendship and problem-solving, I get a really sticky feeling in my throat and in my head. It is simply too nice and friendly, and alienates the real world where things are far from this world of perfection.
Now I am really happy that I got out of the house, I couldn't stand much more of the show. I was almost afraid of going postal or to be lulled into a candy-covered pastel world inside my own head. Watching this WITH my kid is out of the question, and that may very well be the worst bit. Because this is the kind of show that kids probably watch alone most of the time. It easily becomes a parent substitute. It gives the kids solutions to everything, and does little to stimulate curiosity and independent thinking. Little of what is learned is applicable to a kids world of problems, and applying the "solutions" to real world problems will probably leave the kids disillusioned and apathic with no thinking on their own.
I would rather watch old, not so politically correct, classic Disney animation movies with my kids, where there is real anger (Donald Duck), playful action and fun quarreling. This means I have to explain stuff to them, and I truly think good parent-kid interaction is much more valuable and educational for the kids than this utopian world of Higglytown.
In the future I will put on my DVDs with classic Disney cartoons instead of the Playhouse Disney channel. For both my sanity and for my kids.